Blood Wolf Mercenary Group

Chen Lin looked at Little Anzi's eager expression and couldn't help chuckling as he shook his head. This must be what they call a "spectator," he mused.

With his current cultivation at the sixth level of the Divine Vault, his Earth-tier Breath Concealment Technique, and the added support of his Spiritual Sense technique, he could keep his Spiritual Sense probing extremely well concealed. He should be able to watch the commotion without anyone noticing.

Even if someone sensed the fluctuations of his Spiritual Sense, it would be all but impossible to pinpoint him.

At that thought, Chen Lin's mind stirred. His Spiritual Sense rippled outward silently, like water, piercing the restrictions in an instant and slipping out without a sound.

In moments, the entire Tianyan City lay within his view.

He discovered that quite a few powerful auras were hidden throughout the city. There were even Dharma Aspect Realm experts walking among them.

His Spiritual Sense continued to extend. Chen Lin's heart stirred as he picked up a familiar symbol—the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group!

They seemed to have gathered in some corner of the city. He had no idea what mission they had taken on.

He also discovered several places where the auras burned especially fiercely. The old men there radiated a terrifying heat, so pure and overbearing that it far surpassed even the Great Sun Scripture he cultivated!

"People from the Yantian Sect?" Chen Lin understood. As the foremost sect in the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty, the Yantian Sect naturally had a deep foundation of King-tier cultivation techniques to support it.

Then he thought, Actually, that's only natural. The imperial clan commands the resources of the Imperial Dynasty, so it likely has far more King-tier techniques than the Yantian Sect. That must be the fundamental reason the imperial clan can keep the sect in check.

Without a King-tier technique backing it, the Yantian Sect would likely have been carved up by the imperial clan or other forces long ago.

However, after sweeping the city with his Spiritual Sense for a while, he had found only those hidden experts. The two Sect Masters still hadn't shown themselves.

Chen Lin wasn't particularly interested, so he slowly withdrew his Spiritual Sense. "Boring."

Rather than waste his energy here, he might as well keep absorbing Sun Essence and consolidate his cultivation.

He lay back in the rocking chair, letting the warm sunlight fall over him as he enjoyed this rare moment of leisure.

But just as he lowered his eyelids, ready to sink back into cultivation, the edge of his Spiritual Sense suddenly caught a familiar figure walking slowly toward the Scripture Repository.

A glint flashed in Chen Lin's eyes as he recognized the newcomer—Qin Tianxian, the daughter of King Zhenbei.

She wore a simple, elegant dress, yet it did little to soften the cool aura around her. She stood not far away, her sharp gaze sweeping over her surroundings before finally settling on Chen Lin.

"What's this about?"

Qin Tianxian approached him in a few steps and lowered her voice, her tone urgent and leaving no room for doubt. "How did things go?"

Chen Lin's heart gave a sudden leap.

Could the apple of King Zhenbei's eye also be a mole for the Nine Nether Sect?

After all, according to the original course of events, he was supposed to have been disguised by the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord...

He immediately buried his surprise and kept his expression calm. "I've successfully become Chen Lin."

Becoming himself—well, that made perfect sense.

Qin Tianxian's brows knit slightly, as if she were getting impatient, but she didn't press him.

Chen Lin thought to himself, She's asking so directly. Does she have that much faith in the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord that she isn't worried he might fail?

That was an awful lot of confidence.

But even the most confident person would have the Red-robed Eunuch Ximen Qing keeping a close eye on him the moment he appeared. How did that make any sense?

Well, it seems even the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord was just another piece on Ling Cangqiong's chessboard.

An informant planted inside the Nine Nether Sect, now recalled by Ling Cangqiong himself. That piece is finished.

Ling Cangqiong would probably move against the Nine Nether Sect soon.

Interesting. But what role did King Zhenbei's daughter play within the Nine Nether Sect?

And she had come straight to him. Wasn't she worried that a eunuch might be watching from the shadows?

As Chen Lin silently turned things over in his mind, Qin Tianxian said quietly, "Since it worked, then things will be easier..."

Her tone returned to its earlier coldness. "When we need you to act, we'll let you know. Until then, keep your head down."

With that, she left without lingering.

Chen Lin's eyes narrowed slightly, a flash of cold light vanishing from his gaze.

He casually raised a hand. A slender stream of spiritual energy, almost solid, shot out from his fingertip at incredible speed, silently catching up to Qin Tianxian's retreating figure.

Qin Tianxian noticed nothing and continued straight ahead.

Chen Lin watched until her figure had completely disappeared from sight before turning away.

A cold smile curled his lips. Trying to run?

At least leave something behind before you go.

With the tracking method I planted on her, I'll naturally find out where she ends up.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Chen Lin sensed through that barely perceptible stream of spiritual energy that Qin Tianxian had headed straight for the Crown Prince's residence.

Chen Lin's thoughts raced. Could the Nine Nether Sect be trying to win over the Crown Prince?

It was no wonder... The Crown Prince was now trapped on all sides by his Imperial Father, with no way out. If Chen Lin weren't here, the Crown Prince might already have struck some kind of deal with the Nine Nether Sect.

What a pity.

At that thought, Chen Lin tapped the armrest a few times with his fingertips, his gaze deep and unreadable.

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. Qin Tianxian had quietly left the Imperial Palace grounds and blended into the streets and alleys of the city.

Chen Lin understood, but didn't let his guard down. The threadlike stream of spiritual energy continued following her.

Before long, he sensed Qin Tianxian stop in front of an unremarkable inn and go inside.

In a private room at the inn, Qin Tianxian had barely taken her seat before she gave the elderly woman accompanying her a meaningful look.

The woman understood and gestured for those outside to wait.

Once the door closed again, shutting out the noise beyond, the elderly woman stood respectfully before Qin Tianxian and asked in a low voice, "As for the Eastern Palace, was the Crown Prince willing to cooperate with us?"

Qin Tianxian's brows furrowed slightly, a faint chill in her voice. "It's one thing that he refused to cooperate with us. But he's taken so long, and still hasn't exposed my identity to that old emperor."

She sighed softly, a complicated gleam passing through her eyes. "It seems the ambition in his heart runs even deeper than we imagined."

The elderly woman's eyes flashed with a glint of light. Then she smiled calmly. "If he won't cooperate, so be it, Your Highness. With the Nine Nether Sect's strength today, why should we rely on him?"

Then her expression turned troubled. "Still, the Divine Guard Army's sudden march south this morning to aid King Zhenyao came far too unexpectedly."

Qin Tianxian shook her head, her composure restored. "It's nothing. The hidden place our sect chose escaped even the notice of the local Prefect. How could a mere army find its way to us?"

She paused briefly, then analyzed the situation. "They must be going to resist that peerless Demon Emperor. I just learned that as the Divine Guard Army marched south, the Demon Race army had already reached the city walls and begun its attack. King Zhenyao's situation must be dire."

But at that moment, the elderly woman's normally composed eyes suddenly sharpened like lightning, as if she had sensed something.

She abruptly raised her hand and pointed into the air. Without a sound, she completely annihilated Chen Lin's nearly imperceptible tracking thread!